Israeli Journalist Hadas Steif Ordered to Pay NIS 600,000 in Privacy Lawsuit
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
An Israeli court ordered journalist Hadas Steif to pay NIS 600,000 to former Israel Bar Association head Efi Naveh for violating his privacy by hacking his phones. Steif claims the information uncovered points to major corruption in the justice system, but is under a gag order preventing her from revealing full details.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Journalist Hadas Steif must pay NIS 600,000 to Efi Naveh.
- Court found Steif violated Naveh's privacy by hacking his phones.
- Steif claims exposure to major corruption in the justice system.
- A gag order prevents Steif from revealing full details of her findings.
- Steif's defense is considering an appeal.
A district court in Israel has ordered journalist Hadas Steif to pay NIS 600,000 (approximately $160,000 USD) in damages to Efi Naveh, the former head of the Israel Bar Association. The court ruled that Steif violated Naveh's right to privacy by orchestrating and facilitating the hacking of his mobile phones and exposing their contents on Galei Tzahal radio in January 2019.
Judge Oren Schwartz stated that Steif was the "initiating and mediating factor" in the breach of the password-protected devices, and her actions had a "criminal nature." Naveh's legal team confirmed the court's decision, emphasizing that Steif "initiated and promoted the breach" and was aware of the "improper manner" in which the information was obtained.
In a pre-ruling interview with media personality Aviv Agiv for his podcast, Steif alluded to the sensitive nature of the information she uncovered, stating that revealing the full details would subject her to a five-year prison sentence due to a gag order. She claimed to have been exposed to "one of the biggest corruptions in the justice system of the State of Israel," involving recordings, WhatsApp messages, and photos from Naveh's phones. Steif indicated that Naveh had justified not deleting the material by citing the #MeToo era, fearing repercussions if someone made an accusation.
According to the ruling, Steif met with Hani Naveh and enlisted Yuli, who carried out the hacking, knowing his capabilities. The judge noted that Steif had instructed that the devices be returned if no journalistically valuable material was found, indicating her awareness of acting improperly. The court permitted the publication of details related to the Etti Krayf and Susi Arania cases, but Steif claims to possess 100% of the material, which she believes could "shake the country."
Steif's attorney, Dudi Zilberboim, stated that the court acknowledged Steif's primary goal was a journalistic investigation into improper conduct in judicial appointments, and that the published material was factual and based on authentic communications. He also noted the court found Galei Tzahal responsible for Steif's actions and reduced the damages sought by Naveh. The defense is considering an appeal due to the significant implications for journalistic work.
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